1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bio-electric event measuring electrodes, and in particular relates to a multi-event biomedical electrode assembly utilizing a plurality of electrodes and/or sensing more than one physiological parameter of a patient.
2. Discussion of the Relevant Art
The art abounds with medical electrodes that are designed to be affixed to the human body in order to obtain the electrical nerve impulses that the heart and brain generate and with which they respond. These low lever electrical signals can be detected using the appropriate medical electrodes that have good skin contact and very low resistivity. These electrodes must have high sensitivity and are usually placed directly on the skin to make very good electrical contact with the skin surface. Generally, an electrolyte is incorporated to increase the sensitivity of the electrode and reduce its resistivity when applied to the skin. These electrodes are generally held in place by an adhesive material which has as an adhering surface covered with a removable covering prior to application to a patient. Typical of these devices is the assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,165 issued to J. G. Striese on Sept. 21, 1982. However, this type of electrode can only be used to sense one physiological parameter since it is a single contact electrode and requires a plurality thereof to obtain the required conductors.
Attempts have been made to utilize a multi-electrode terminal such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,049 which issued to J. A. R. Kater on Nov. 23, 1976. The apparatus disclosed therein utilizes an assembly which has three electrodes disposed thereon and a connector affixed thereto that is provided with three conductive paths or wires. As dislcosed therein, one of the paths is generally used as a neutral or ground conductor when it is connected to a measuring apparatus. Here again, although multi-electrodes are utilized only a single electrical type of electrode terminal is obtainable.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the relevant art by providing a multi-event biomedical electrode assembly.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a multi-event electrode that is capable of providing electrical output signals which may be used to record different-independent physiological parameters.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a multi-event electrode which may be utilized to provide two or more electrically conductive paths which may be used for different purposes.
It is still yet a further object of the present invention to provide a multi-event electrode which is fabricated from an epoxy conducting resin thereby reducing the cost of present day electrodes.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a multi-event biomedical electrode assembly that has a housing that is electrically conductive and/or may provide a plurality of electrically conductive paths therein without using metal conductors.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a multi-event biomedical electrode assembly that is capable of providing a temperature reading proximate the surface of the electrode, as well as, providing an electrical output signal voltage related to the electrical impulses provided to the heart for measuring pulse rate.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a multi-event biomedical electrode assembly capable of measuring the temperature on the surface proximate the location of the electrode on the skin of a patient.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a multi-event biomedical electrode assembly that is capable of providing an electrical output relative to the pH of the skin and by combining it with other measuring devices can be used to provide an output relative to blood pressure.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a multi-event biomedical electrode assembly that is capable of providing independent channels which may be used individually and/or simultaneously.